Brother Lawrence

[ born Nicolas Herman in 1614 in France, d.1691.]
At the age of 18 he had a sudden cosmic intuition of the grandeur and presence of God. One day in winter while looking at a tree stripped of its leaves, he realised that in a little while its leaves would reappear, followed by its flowers and fruit. This gave him a profound insight into God's providence, that was never erased from his soul, and was not surpassed throughout his life. This was the beginning of his life-long association with God. He later joined a Carmelite monastery as a lay brother, and worked mainly in the kitchen. There was an aura of peace about him, which led people to come and meet him. His conversations and letters were later compiled into a book, The Practice of the Presence of God.
Even while performing ordinary tasks, he said, ‘I began to live as if there was no one but God and me in this world.’